Battery charging voltage regulator



Oct. 29, 1935. L GUDE 2,018,716

BATTERY CHARGING VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed July 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Z l/V VE/VTO/i.

100/5 h 6005. .BYflAf flTTO/f/VEYS.

Oct. 29, 1935. H, GUDE 2,018,716

BATTERY CHARGING VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed July 20, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2IN VE/V 701?. 100/5 61/05.

Oct. 29, 1 935. GUDE 2,018,716

BATTERY CHARGING VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed July 20, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet ISIN V5 70% 1011/5 h 6005. 19 ///5 flTTO/?/YY5.

MWMMM Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Louis H. Gude,Eau Claire, Wis.

Application July 20, 1934, Serial No. 736,178

7 Claims.

My invention relates to automatic voltage regulating electricalapparatus and particularly to apparatus for regulating the voltageapplied to a storage battery in charging the same.

Lead storage batteries are used in stations and substations of electriccentral station power systems as sources of electrical energy foroperating power control equipment, emergency lighting equipment, andother apparatus. Such batteries are called upon to carry occasionalheavy loads of short duration, moderate continuous loads or acombination of the two types of loads. It is preferable that suchbatteries be maintained in fully charged condition at all times insofaras possible and it has been found that this result may be attained bestby continuously charging the battery by the floating charge method at asuitable constant voltage. It has also been found that the useful lifeof a battery is longest when the battery is charged in this manner.

The charging voltage applied to a battery is very critical in its effecton the charging current in that a relatively slight change in chargingvoltage will cause a very substantial change in charging current. Whenthe charging voltage is too high the positive plates and separators ofthe battery will be damaged and when the charging voltage is too low thenegative plates will become sulphated and the cells of the battery willbecome unevenly charged. While, as indicated above. it is very importantto maintain the proper charging voltage within very close limits, suchresults cannot be attained by the present methods of charging. Variationin voltage on supply circuits feeding battery charging rectifiers ormotor-generator sets result in variation in the charging voltage appliedto batteries being charged by such apparatus. Occasional check ing andmanual adjustment of charging voltage by an attendant has been foundunsatisfactory and the infrequent adjustments possible in unattendedinstallations are obviously very inadequate.

Since the terminal voltage of a battery being charged changes veryslowly to a new steady value following a readjustment of the chargingapparatus an automatic charging voltage regulator of a type tending toquickly re-establish the desired voltage immediately following variationtherefrom will tend to over-regulate and to adjust alternately upwardlyand downwardly in rapidly recurring cycles. Such rapid operation wouldcause undue wear" and tear in the device.

It is an object of my invention to provide an automatic voltageregulating device which is responsive to the terminal voltage of astorage battery which is being charged by battery charging apparatus andwhich acts to so control the charging apparatus that the terminalvoltage of the 5 battery will be maintained at a certain predeterminedvalue regardless of changes in the load carried by the battery and inthe voltage of the supply circuit feeding the charging apparatus.

Another object is to provide such a regulator 10 which, at predeterminedintervals, will measure the battery terminal voltage and, if the batteryterminal voltage differs from the voltage desired, will operate tore-adjust the charging apparatus to a limited extent to effect asubsequent change 1 in battery terminal voltage toward the desiredvoltage.

Still another object is to provide such a regulator which is free of lagand inaccuracies such as would result from frictional drag or the like:0 and wherein the movable voltage-responsive element need not carryelectrical contacts or any other actuating elements.

A further object is to provide such a regulator of simple, reliable anddurable construc- 25 tion and capable of effecting extremely accurateregulation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following description made in connection with 30the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of my battery charging voltage regulator;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Fig. l as indicated bythe arrows;

Fig. 3 is an electrical connection diagram of my device with a storagebattery and battery charging generator connected thereto;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively front and side views of the tumblers ofmy device shown in. enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a partial electrical connection diagram of another form of theexternal circuit of my regulator.

Referring to the drawings, a panel P, upon which the parts of my batterycharging voltage regulator are mounted, is located in an open frontedcasing C in spaced parallel relation to the back thereof. The panel P issecured in place by means of screws 5 which extend through the panelinto lugs 6 extending inwardly of and formed integrally with the sidesof the casing.

till

Freferably, the panel P is formed 01E nsulating material.

To protect the parts oi my regulator from damage and entrance of dust, acover 6 ofiset outwardly along its rearward edge to fit the fore wardedge or" the casing C is provided. stud dd is secured at itsscrew-threaded rear end to the panel by means of nuts lb disposed atopposite sides of the panel. has a screw threaded forward end extendingthrough a suitable aper ture in the cover l. Nuts do, mounted. on theforward end oi the stud G at opposite sides of the cover l clamp aportion of the cover there etween and thus secure the cover in place asshown. Removal of the cover is obviously readily permitted by removingthe outer one or the nuts do.

A voltage responsive element V, similar to the movement of a moving coiltype of direct current voltmeter, is mounted on the lower left portionor the panel P. This voltage responsive element includes a generallyC-shaped permanent magnet l and a flat coil 8 disposed between the polesof the magnet. The magnet l is secured to a base 9 by means of a clipill which is secured to the base 9 by means of screws the. The base 9 isattached to a bracket M which extends outwardly of the panel P and issecured thereto by means of nutted bolts Me.

A pair of blocks 52 formed of insulating rna= terial extend upwardlyfrom and are rigidly at-= tached to the base ii. A bracket i311 mountedon top of each of the blocks l2 carries a bearing 5 Pivots 8a rigidlysecured to and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the coil areiournaled in the respective bearings it for tree rotation with respectthereto. A pair of elec: trical terminal posts ill are respectivelymounted in apertures in the blocks l2 and a coiled wire db is connectedbetween each of the posts it and one of the respective ends of thewinding of the coil 8. A vane l5, comprising a member formed of stillwire, extends upwardly from the movable coil 83 so as to be shifted orswung by the coil 3 as the same moves. The upper end of the vane i5 isturned inwardly toward the panel P at right angles to form a trippingelement l5a. Means is provided to limit the swinging of the vane l5 andcomprises a stiff wire it rigidly secured at its lower end to one of thebrackets 133a and formed at its upper end into a rearwardly openinghorizontally disposed ill-shaped stop member Mia so located that theupper portion of the vane it is disposed between the respective sideportions of the U.

A portion l5b of the wire forming the vane it? extends below the movingcoil 8 and is inclined to the right. A small weight lfic is mounted onthe lower end of the member 1151).

The voltage responsive element V described above is in general similarto a DArsonval voltmeter or galvanometer movement except that the vanei5 is substituted for a pointer, the stop member llia is provided andthe weight 50 is substituted for hair-springs.

To the right of the voltage responsive element a rheostat or variableresistance ll having tel-'- minals Ma and ill) is supported from thepanel P by means of a bracket W0.

A clock or timing device T having a spring H}, a spring winding shaft l9and a slowly revolving shaft 2G driven by the spring H3 is mounted onthe panel P above the rheostat ll. A gear it is mounted on the shaftfill. A post 22 mounted on the front of the clock: It carries a stud orpin outer or forward end and a small gear volubly mounted on the pinElla and A nut Bill) is screw wire, extend outwardly from diametricallyopposits sides of the hub 24 to such a distance that the outermost endof each arm will sweep past the end of the tripping element Oi tile vaneoi the voltage responsive element "v" when the hub A l is rotated. thatit will slowly rotate the arms in a coun ter=cloclwise direction asviewed in Fig. l.

A pair of actuating elements or tumblers l ft, are swingably mounted onthe outer end of each of the arms in coaxial relation to each other. Theaxes of the respective tumblers fill are parallel to the arms and thetumblers 225 of each pair are slightl spaced apart longitudinally of thearm upon which they are mounted.

Each tumbler Ellis formed or" flat rclativelythicl: material such asbahelite panel stock or similar material cut out an egg like shape asbest illustrated in Fi 2. lip element Zita is formed on one side of thelarger end of the tumbler iii and a plug 22Gb, formed of heavy materialsuch as lead is secured in a suitable aperture in the larger end of thetumbler to weight the same. The smaller end of each tumbler 26 isprovided with a suitable aperture therethrough whereby the tumbler isrotatably mounted on a portion of one of the arms 25 for swingingmovement relative thereto in a plane normal thereto.

As shown. in Fig. 4, the outer portion oi the wire forming the one ofthe arms which (EX-- tends to the left as viewed in Fig. l is bent atright angles so as to form. a portion to extending on an incline towardthe panel P and somewhat upwardly and is again bent to extend toward thehub 2t parallel to the main part of the arm 25 to form a bearing pin2521- upon which one of the tumblers Eli is pivotally mounted. The wireis again bent at right angles to form a portion Eiic extending at anincline away from the panel and slightly upwardly and is finally bentonce more at right angles to .torm a stop 25d ex- 3 tending parallel tothe main part of the arm 25 in a direction away from the hub Theturnbler mounted on the bearing pin filib is restrained against movementlongitudinally oi the bearing pin 25b by the portions 25a and 250. Thestop 2250. is so located that the tumbler it may rest thereagainst intop heavy condition with its center of gravity above and slightlyoutward of the bearing pin illib whereby a slight pressure exertedagainst the tumbler 28 to induce movement thereof in the direction ofthe panel P will cause the tumbler 26 to fall toward the panel P anddownwardly. A stop 25c formed of wire and attached to the arm 25 extendsinwardly from the arm 25 to arrest the falling of the tumbler 26 beforethe same reaches the depending position it would otherwise assume.

Immediately inwardly of the elements 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d and 25c anothersimilar series of e1ements 25f, 259, 2571,, 257' and 25k are similarlymounted on the arm 25 to accommodate a second tumbler 26 as shown. Thetwo tumblers 26 are located coaxially, are spaced apart only slightlyand are so disposed that the lip elements 26a thereof face outwardly ortoward the vane 15 The clock T is so arranged for engagement with thetripping element lBa thereof.

The remaining arm 26 is also provided with a pair of tumblers 26associated therewith in the manner described above.

A flat guide plate 21 is secured to the upper portion of the front ofthe clock T and is disposed adjacent and parallel to the path of thetumblers 28 as the same approach the vane l5 so as to force the tumblersinto their upwardly swung top heavy position.

An electrical contact-making or switch means 8 is located at the left ofand is supported by the clock T so as to be directly behind the turnedupper end |6a of the vane l5 and in position to be actuated by thetumblers 26 when the same fall. A generally rectangular plate 28disposed parallel to and spaced forwardly of the panel P carries at theright side thereof an outwardly extending portion 28a which is securedto the clock T by screws 281). A block 23 of insulating material extendshorizontally across the upper portion ofthe plate 28 and a second block38 of insulating material is disposed forwardly of the block 23. Nuttedbolts 3| extend through suitable apertures in the blocks 38 and 23 andthe plate 28 to secure the blocks to the plate. A pair of thin flatsprings 32 and 33, respectively carrying electrical contacts 32a and 33aon their lower ends are clamped adjacent their upper ends between theblocks 23 and 38 so as to leave th ir upp r n s rojecting above theblocks 29 and 38 to serve as connection terminals. The plate 28 isprovided with an aperture 34 into which the contact carrying lower endsof the springs 32 and 33 are bent. A small metal plate 35 secured to therear of the insulating plate 28 just above the aperture 34 by means of anutted bolt 36 is bent forwardly and upwardly to extend into theaperture 34 and to incline upwardly toward the front face of theinsulating plate 28. The forwardly and downwardly facing portion of themetal plate 35 is formed into a pair of interconnected electricalcontacts 35a and 35b, as shown by Fig. 3, positioned for engagementrespectively by the contacts 32a. and 32b carried by the springs 32 and33. The springs 32 and 33 are so flexed that their lower ends normallybear against the portion of the insulating panel 28 defining the lowerside of the aperture 34 whereby the contacts 32a and 33a carried by thesprings are kept out of engagement with the contact portions 35a and 35bof the metal plate 35. The medial portions of the springs. 32 and 33 arepositioned directly behind the respective paths of rotation of thetumblers 26 whereby a. tumbler 26 falling rearwardly as previouslydescribed will strike the medial portion of the corresponding one of thesprings 32 and 33 and will momentarily drive the same rearwardly tocause momentary engagement of the contact 32a or 33a carried therebywith the corresponding one of the contact portions 35a and 35b of themetal plate 35.

Above the previously described portions of my device an electricallyoperated rheostat R is mounted on the panel P. This electricallyoperated rheostat consists in general of a rheostat and anelectromagnetic rheostat operating mechanism which is arranged foroperation to progress the rheostat in either one of its respectivedirections of movement. Each of two similar portions of theelectromagnetic mechanism includes an E-shaped laminated iron core 31the middle leg of which is adapted to carry a coil or winding. Thelaminations of each of the cores 31 are clamped together by nutted bolts31a extending through suitable apertures in the laminations. Therespective cores are mounted with the'open sides thereof facing andspaced apart 5 a substantial distance. The upper legs of the respectivecores 31 are connected by plates 38 and 38 respectively located at thefront and rear sides of the cores and clamped thereto by nutted bolts 48which extend through suitable apertures 1 in the plates 38 and 33 andthe cores 31. The lower legs of the cores 31 are connected by anH-shaped element 4| formed of sheet material and so bent that the crossbar portion extends from front to rear of the cores 31 and the respec-15 tive side portions rest against the front and rear sides of the lowerlegs of the cores 31. The H- shaped element is clamped to the cores 31by means of nutted bolts 4|a extending through the cores 31 and theelement 4|.

The middle leg of the left hand core 31 as viewed in Fig. 1 carries acoil or winding 42 and the middle leg of the right hand core 31 carriesa coil 43. A rheostat or variable resistance 44 having terminals 44a and44b is mounted on the 25 plate 38 with its operating shaft 440 extendingrearwardly through and beyond the plate 38. A gear or duo-directionalratchet wheel 45 is mounted on the rear end portion of the rheostatoperating shaft 44c.

The open side of each of the cores 31 has an armature 48 associatedtherewith and arranged to cooperate with all three legs of the core. Thearmatures 46 are swingably mounted on pivot pins 46a joumaled inapertures in the plates 38 35 and 33 closely adjacent the free ends ofthe upper legs of the respective cores 31. A stop comprising a smallrectangular plate 4| 2; secured to the upper side of the cross barportion of the H- shaped member 4| by means of a nutted bolt 0 40 isprovided to limit the distance to which the armatures 46 may move awayfrom the respective cores 31.

Each of the armatures 46 includes an integral portion comprising an arm46b extending up- 45 wardly beyond the pivot pin 46a and adapted tocarry a dog or pawl on its upper end for cooperation with the ratchet45. The upper end of each of the pawl carrying arms 46b is provided witha slot extending from the outer end thereof 5() a short distancedownwardly along the longitudinal center line of the arm and carries apivot pin 46c extending across the slot and upon which a pawl 41 isswingably mounted between the portions of the arm 46b defining the slottherein.

Each pawl 41 is constructed of heavy sheet metal lying in a verticalplane except at its forward end where the metal is twisted to 90 de-'grees and is bent downwardly to provide a suitable horizontal edge 41afor engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 45. A short distanceforwardly of the rear end of the pawl 41 and adjacent the upper edgethereof an aperture is provided by means of which the pawl is swingablymounted on the pivot pin 46c carried by the arm 46b. The pawl 41 isprovided with a slot extending downwardly from a point a short distancebelow the abovementioned aperture to the lower edge of the pawl. Theportions of the 70 pawl defining this slot are disposed at oppositesides of the unslotted portion of the arm 46b and are far enough apartto permit limited rocking movement of the pawl 41 relative to the arm46b. The pawl 41 has an apertured ear 41b projecting Is ail a al wrearvvardly from the lower rear portion thereof, A tension spring isconnected at one of its to the apertvred ear ill) and at its other endto a spring anchoring yo re 69 which is attached to the core M byportions thereof clamped the head and nut of he upper one of th tionsclamping bolts die. The spring GO, as be seen from the drawings, isarranged to u as the armature away from the core Bl to urge the forwardend of the pawl ll toward fie ratchet 15. The slot in the pawl dl ispropow g movement tioned to so limit the rocki no nally remain out ofengager ent v1 ratchet d5 will engage the ratchet only old? the latterpart of he ttoward the core with the result tha Will be progresses. to

bile extent or on for each operation of the armature While the abovedescription refers pawl ll it is apparent that both of and the partsconnected thereto are constructed ans that the respective in oppositedirections so as to progress the rate in opposite directions. The left parranged to progress the movable parts of rheostat G6 in acoun'mr-cloclitvise direction reduce the resistance.

Three electrical connection terminals Elli, and are mounted in the lefthand portion of the panel P for the circuit to the voltage responsiveelement V and five terminals 5t, 55, 56 and Eli are mounted in the righthand portion of the panel P for the circuits to the electro-- magneticoperating mechanisms and the rheostat M of the electrically operatedrheostat One of the terminals it of the voltage responsive element V isconnected to the terminal 50 by means of a wire 58 and the remainingterminal i l of the voltage responsive element isconnected to theterminal lilo of the rheostat ll by means of a Wire 59. Terminal ill) ofthe rheostat lil is connected to terminal 5i through a wire A resistor(El, appearing in Fig. 3, of conventional. type concealed behind thepanel P is connected at its respective ends to terminals 5% and Thecontact plate of the contact device S is connected through a Wire totern2i= rial 53 and the contact springs 32 and are respectivelyconnected to terminals 55 E56 through Wires 63 and 6G. Terminal is comnected to one terminal of the coil d2 throw. Wire and terminal 5 5 isconnected to one terminal of the coil 53 through a Wire The remainingterminals of the respective coils l2 and G3 are connected together andto terminal S? by means of a Wire One terminal 3% of rlieostat l isconnected to terminal means or" a Wire and the other terminal d lc ofrhea stat M is connected to terminal 5U through a Wire For purposes ofconnection or" my battery charging voltage regulator to apparatusexternal thereto suitable apertures are provided in the casing C toaccommodate extension theretinongh of wires from the rear ends of theterminals 5'2, 5G and Ell to points located externally the case C. SuchWiresinclude tvire l3 con nected to terminal wire ll connected toterrninal t ll, Wire l2 connected to terminal vrire connected toterminal 56 and Wire l l connected to terminal While my regulator isreadily suitable for use with various types of battery chargingapparatus, it is shown in the connection diagram of 3 For the purpose ofexpediti g explanation the hes and T are here after assumed to I ositiveand negative brushes.

e positive t-i final oi storage battery it being charged i "ator isconnected to the positive brush l6 the gener tor throi a wire and thenega connected. the negative brush.

(in .J on or and on.

"ie negative the Win negative brush ll? i prewire i i The W i respecnegative is oiete a circuit responsive positive brus ld vain to liearmature and the i'heostat i i he field coil l8 voltages of the and thecattery may be conr eostat 4t.

Wire it, reviously described, is connected to wire 82 thcrethrough tothe negative brush. ll whereby circuits from the armature i to either ofthe coils G2 and may be respectively completed by closure of thecontacts 23. 30, and a or the contacts 33a and 3%.

generator trolled by Operation In use of my voltage regulating devicewith a storage battery l9 and a battery charging geneaator G the deviceis connected. as shown in Fig. 3. As shown, the coil 8 of the voltageresponsive element V connected to the battery is through the resistor6i] the rheostat ll which jointly serve as a multi lier resistance. Thevoltage responsive element is so a that an in crease voltage will causethe vane iii to deflect the let. Wnen my regulator is placed inoperation, the rheostat is so adjusted that the voltage at which it isdesired to charge the battery l9 will bring the vane is to a centralposition Wli in it will be disposed nidway between respective sideportions of he stop member a an wherein the respective tumblers @301 onch o will uss on opposite sides i o' e vane @bviously, as long as the -li voltage es above the desired voltage vane will be deflected to theleft t reof Will be disposed in the path described by the lip element oithe outermost ones of the tumblers 226 of the respective e next time oneof the slowly rotat- 'e moves past'the tripping element lilo heoutermost one of the tumblers ill engage the tripping element i511.

er rotation of the arm 25 the lip is restrained by the trip element lbafrom rotation with the rotating arm and hence the tumbler s tippedrearwardly relative to the 1 ,l cverbalanced whereupon the tume terminalthrough Wires iii as rotate past the bler 26 will fall rearwardiy andthen downwardly until it strikes the stop 25c.

As the tumbler 26 falls rearwardly and downwardly it strikes the contactcarrying spring 32 and swings the same inwardly to momentarily bring thecontact 32a carried thereby into engagement with the contact 35a of theplate 35. As the tumbler 26 leaves engagement with the spring 32 thesame springs back to its normal position.

The contacts 32a and 35a, while momentarily engaged as described above,momentarily complete a circuit from the generator G to the coil 42 ofthe electrically operated rheostat R. During the short period of timewhen the coil 42 is energized the left hand core 31, upon which the coilis mounted, is magnetized and draws the armature 46 associated therewithtoward itself. 6

Movement of the armature 46 toward the core 31 brings the left hand pawl41 into engagement with a tooth or the ratchet 45 and projects the pawltoward the right to rotate the ratchet 45 and the operating shaft 440 ofthe rheostat 44 through a slight angle in a clockwise direction. Therotation of the rheostat shaft 44c in a clockwise direction increasesthe resistance provided by the rheostat and hence decreases the currentin the field 18 of the generator G. Reduction in field current in thegenerator G reduces the charging current delivered to the battery 19 bythe generator G and following this change the battery terminal voltagewill decrease. If the battery voltage has decreased to the desiredvoltage by the time the remaining one of the arms 25 passes the trippingelement ia neither of the tumblers 26 will be engaged by the trippingelement i5a and no regulatory action will occur. If the battery voltagehas not decreased to the desired voltage another regulatory actionsimilar to the actionpreviously described will take place.

If at any time the battery voltage drops below the desired voltage thevane l5 and the trip element i5a thereon will be deflected to the rightof their normal centered position and, when an arm 25 is passing thetrip element i5a, the innermost one: of the tumblers 26 on the arm 25will be overturned in the manner previously described in connection withthe outermost one of the tumblers 26. The tumbler 26, in dropping, willmomentarily close the contacts 33a and 35b to mo:- mentarily energizethe coil 43 and hence operate the armature 46 and pawl 41 to rotate theratchet 45 and rheostat operating shaft 44c through a slight angle in' acounter-clockwise direction. This movement of the rheostat shaft 44cresults in reduction of the resistance in the rheostat 44 and henceincreases the charging current delivered by the generator G to thebattery 19. Following the increase in charging current the batteryterminal voltage will gradually increase toward the desired voltage. Ifthe voltage has not reached the desired voltage when an arm 25 againpasses the trip element i5a another operation similar to the abovedescribed operation will take place at that time.

After a tumbler has been upset by the tripping element i5a it isautomatically returned to its normal top heavy position before it againpasses the tripping element.. When the arm 25 on which one of thetumblers 26 has been upset has traveled half a revolution from theposition wherein it passes the tripping element i5a gravity will havereturned the upset tumbler 26 almost to its normal position relative tothe arm 25. As this tumbler 26 passes the guide plate 21 it is engagedthereby and forced into its normal top heavy position wherein it restsagainst the stop 25d.

It is to be particularly noted that the arms 25 rotate only very slowlyso that voltage correcting operations of my regulator can only occur 5at predetermined intervals of time. It is also to be noted that eachvoltage correcting operation will progress the rheostat 44 through alimited predetermined angle of rotation regardless of the degree ofvariance of the battery voltage from the desired voltage. This method ofoperation is particularly well adapted for control of the voltage of abattery charged by the floating charge method for the reason that achange in charging current is not immediately accompanied by acorresponding change of battery voltage and hence the steady voltagesubsequently to be assumed by a battery following a change in adjustmentof the charging apparatus cannot be determined at the time of the changeof adjustment. The interval of time between voltage correctiveoperations enables the battery to have reached a steady voltagecorresponding to the charging current before another operation can beinitiated.

In this manner over adjustment and frequently repeated operationsalternately increasing and reducing the voltage are eliminated.

Fig. 6 illustrates the use of my regulator in connection with a batterycharging generator in a manner slightly diiferent from that describedabove. The connection scheme for this form of the invention is identicalwith the diagram of Fig. 3 except that in the connections external tothe regulator proper the field coil 18 of the generator G is connecteddirectly across the brushes I6 and ll of the generator without therheostat R in series therewith and the charging circuit from thegenerator G to the battery 19 is rearranged to place the rheostat R inseries therewith as shown in Fig. 6. The upper end of the field coil 18instead of being connected through the wire 13 to the terminal 56 isconnected through a wire 84 to the positive generator brush 16. Thepositive terminal of the battery 19, instead of being directly connectedto the positive brush is 45 of the generator G through the wire 80, isconnected through a wire 85 to the terminal 56 whereby the rheostat R isconnected in series with the charging circuit from the generator G tothe battery 19. It will be seen that the regulation of battery voltagein this case is aflorded by direct regulation of battery chargingcurrent rather than by regulation of generator voltage.

while my device has been illustrated and described as used in connectionwith a battery having a direct current generator as a charging meanstherefor, it is apparent that the rheostat 44 may be connected in thecircuits of other types of battery charging equipment such as variousforms of rectifiers and battery charging circuits served by directcurrent power and light lines. In the case of rectifiers, while therheostat may be connected in the direct current charging circuit to thebattery, I have found it preferable to '5 connect the rheostat 44 in thealternating current input circuit of the rectifier.

It is apparent that my automatic regulator may be readily usedfor'regulation of voltage in circuits other than the circuits of storagebatteries 7 and associated charging apparatus and that a currentresponsive element or an element responsive to other conditions may besubstituted for the voltage responsive element of my regulator to adaptthe device for regulation of con- 76 in e regulatory adjustments ofchargin ing toward re-establishment of a mined intervals of time.

It will, course, be understood t changes may be made the form, trangement, and proportions of the which, generally stated, consists in apable oi. carrying out the objects above and in the novel parts andcombinatio:

disclosed and defined in What is claimed is:-

i. In combination with a storage charging device for varying the voltagea plied to said battery by said charging device, voltage responsiveapparatus connected battery and having a member shiftable in response tovariation in said voltage, continuously movable means carrying anactuating element in an endless path passing closely adjacent saidshiftable member, said actuating element either remaining inoperative orbeing rendered operative by said shiftable member as it passes the samedependent upon the position of said shiftable member, mechanism foroperating said variable means, said mechanism being brought into opera.-tion by said actuating element when. the same has been renderedoperative.

2. In combination with a storage battery and a charging circuittherefor, automatic battery voltage regulating apparatus comprisingvoltage regulating means in said charging circuit, a voltage responsiveelement connected to said battery and including a member varying inposition r sponse to variation in said voltage, means continuouslymoving through an endless patl'i, an actuating element carried by saidmeans and passing adjacent said member at one point in the path of saidactuating element whereby said actuating element will engage said memberand be shifted thereby relative to said continuously moving means ifsaid member is n one of certain of its possible positions when saidactuating element passes the same, and operating mechanism for saidvoltage regulating means so controlled by said actuating element thatsaid regulating means will be adjusted when said actuating ele=- menthas been shifted relative to said continuous 1y moving means.

3. In combination with a storage battery and a charging circuittherefor, automatic battery voltage regulating apparatus comprisingvoltage regulating means in said charging circuit, operat ing mechanismfor said regulating means, volt age responsive means connected to saidbattery and including an element varying in position in response tovariation in said voltage, a pair of ac-= tuating elements, means forcontinuously mov= ing said actuating elements through respective endlesspaths passing respectively through points adjacent said varying element,said actuating elements each being shirtable relative to said meanswhereby if said varying element is in a position other than a certainposition thereof aorario said actuating elements pass tlerelriy one orthe other of said actuating elements will engage said varying elementand be shifted thereby relative to said means and said operatingmechanism being controlled by said actuating elements in such mannerthat shifting of one of said actuating elements will cause saidmechanism to operate said regulating means to raise said voltage andshifting of the other of said actuating elements will cause saidmechanism to operate said regu lating means to lower said voltage.

6;. in combination with a storage battery and a battery charging deviceoperatively connected thereto, battery voltage regulating apparatusincluding a rotatable member, means for rotat g said member, a tumblerpivotally and eccen icalmounted on said member fo swinging movementrelative thereto, means for releasably hold ing said tumbler in aposition wherein its center of gravity is above its pivot axis when saidtum-- bier is carried by said member through a certain part of its path,a voltage responsive element con:- nected to said battery and having amember shift-- able in response to voltage into and out of a positionadjacent said certain part of the path, of

said tumbler, said member being arranged be engaged by and to upset saidtumbler when in. said position at the time of passage of said tum--bier, voltage varying means in a circuit or" said charging device and anoperating mechanism for said voltage varying means having a controlele-- ment positioned and arranged to be actuated by said tumbler whensaid tumbler has been upset.

5. In combination with a storage battery and a battery charging deviceoperatively connected thereto, battery voltage regulating apparatuscomprising a rotatable member, means for con" tinuously rotatingsaidmember, a pair of turnblers pivotally mounted on said member forswinging movement relative thereto, the center of gravity of eachtumbler being eccentrically located relative to the pivot axis thereoi,means for releasably holding each of said tumblers in a position whereinits center of gravity is above its pivot axis when the same is passingthrough a certain part or its path, a voltage responsive elementconnected to said battery and including a member shiftable in responseto variation in battery voltage between positions adjacent the respective paths of said tumblers and tirough a position intermediate saidfirst mentioned posh tions, said member being arranged engage and upsetone or the other of said tumblers when in any position other than saidintermediate position and to engage neither of said tumblers when insaid intermediate position, voltage varying means in a circuit of saidcharger, an operating mechanism for said voltage varying means, a pairof control elements for controlling said mechanism located and arrangedto be actuated by the respective ones or said tumblers whereby onetumbler, when upset, will actuate one of said control elements to bringabout a r duction in voltage and the other tumbler, when upset, willactuate the other of said control elements to bring about an increase involtage.

6. In an electric voltage regulating device for use in conjunction witha storage battery and a battery charging device connected to saidbattery, a voltage responsive element adapted to be connected to theterminals of said battery and having a vane arranged to assume variouspositions corresponding to various voltages applied to said element, arotatable member adjacent said vane, a pair oi eccentric timcbiersswing' ably mounted on said member to pass closely adjacent said vane assaid member rot: tumblers being arranged to pass on r sides of said vanein closely spaced relation there to when said vane is in a certainposition intermediate the limits of movement thereof, means arranged toreleasably hold said tumblers in a position where the centers of gravitythereof are above the respective centers of rotation thereof wherebywhen said vane is in a position other than said intermediate positionone of said tumblers will be engaged thereby in passing and will beupset to fall into a depending position, two pairs of electricalcontacts each pair of which is positioned and arranged to be momentarilyengaged and closed by one of said tumblers as said. tumbler falls to itsdepending position, a pair of electromagnetic operating mechanismsrespectively energized through said contacts, and a variable resistor sooperated by said mechanisms that one of said mechanisms will operatesaid variable resistor to increase the resistance th and the; other ofsaid mechanisms will act to t lease s? re. tance, said resistor beingadapted to be C011 nected at a suitable point in a circuit said listterycharging device to control tle charging voltage applied to said batteryby said charging device.

7. In an electrical voltage regulating device for use in conjunctionwith a storage battery and a battery charging device connected to said.battery, a voltage responsive element adapted to be connected to theterminals of said ba i rv and having a vane arranged to vary in positionresponsive to variation in battery voltage, a rotatvane is in a positionother than said intermediate position, one of said tumblers will beengaged thereby in passing and will be upset to fall into a dependingposition, two pairs of electrical contacts each pair of which ispositioned and arranged to be momentarily engaged and closed by one ofsaid tumblers as said tumbler falls to its depending position, a pair ofelectromagnetic operating mechanisms respectively energized through saidcontacts, and a variable resistor so operated by said mechanisms thatone of said mechanisms will operate said variable resistor to increasethe resistance thereof and the other of said 1:, :chanisrns will act todecrease said resistance, said mechanisms being so arranged that eachoperation thereof will adjust said resistance to only a definitepredetermined extent, said resistor being adapted to be connected in acircuit of said battery charging device at suitable point to control thecharging voltage applied to said battery by said charging device.

LOUIS H. GUDE.

